


in the end

by rhodey



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Afterlife, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Gen, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-24
Updated: 2019-07-24
Packaged: 2020-07-12 12:49:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19946434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rhodey/pseuds/rhodey
Summary: They stared at each other for a while, the breeze pulling at them. “Is this uh - the afterlife?” Tony ventured, looking around, but all he saw was miles and miles of beach and sea.“Somewhat. Looks like we made it.”ortony stark and natasha romanoff in the afterlife after it all





	in the end

It was over just as soon as it seemed to start. Instead of the burning sensation of pain spreading throughout his arm, all Tony Stark felt was some sort of warm feeling, spreading, _glowing_ around him, until all that was left from his connection to the real world was the feeling of Pepper's lips. 

And then there were the memories that came flashing through, a movie playing detailing the hurt, the pain, the betrayal in his life. But most of all, he the people in his life. Peter, Rhodey, Pepper, the Avengers -- _Morgan_ , his daughter. 

And then there was darkness. Until, well, there wasn't.

~

There was a beach, at least, Tony presumed it was a beach. He wasn’t quite sure what it was, but it felt like home, felt like the long walks on the beach he used to take with Jarvis and Peggy, felt like he was just a small child again, kicking up sand everywhere. 

In the distance, there was a figure against the sunset, and Tony smiled faintly, his heart swelling at the sight of the red hair in the sunlight. It was going to be okay, he thought. 

The sky above looked like the exact color of Pepper’s hair, seemingly stuck in a perpetual state of sundown, the sand digging at his feet when he met Natasha in the middle. 

“So it’s really over.”

Tony attempted to smile, attempted to find some sort of grief, feeling for his life lost, but instead, all he felt was a sort of empty happiness, a sort of contentedness that he hadn’t felt in a while, just sitting there, waiting to be opened and freed. “I guess we really did it.”

They stared at each other for a while, the breeze pulling at them. “Is this uh - the afterlife?” Tony ventured, looking around, but all he saw was miles and miles of beach and sea. 

“Somewhat. Looks like we made it.”

~

Later, when Natasha and Tony were lying side by side, their hands tangled together, Tony looked at her to his side. “Are we the only ones here then?”

“Took you long enough to ask, idiot.” 

She took his hand before she was leading him away towards well, what seemed to be another beach. Except she wasn’t exactly walking, it was like they were floating. Floating towards the unknown. 

After a while, where the seemingly endless beach turned to grass, she led him to a small hut, the only sort of building he had seen in this afterlife, and he hesitated, looking back at Natasha who was smiling wistfully at it. 

“It’s okay. Open the door.”

Hesitantly, Tony opened it, his breath catching among itself, at the screen of his funeral laying in front of him. Slipping the door shut behind him, he walked closer, hands trembling at the pain of seeing all his friends, his family, by the lake house. 

And when the door opened and Morgan and Pepper came out holding a bouquet of sorts, he collapsed into the chair. They were outside of the house, near the lake, and Tony reached out to touch the screen, as if he could caress them, hold his family just one last time. 

Outside, there was, well, everyone. His family, friends, passing heroes or acquaintances. And it struck Tony that they were at his funeral. It was odd, to see his own funeral, know that he was there, but well, not truly there in the end.

On the lake, there was the bouquet, a wreath now, in which nestled among the flowers were the first arc reactor, the one that Pepper gave him so long ago. It was rusting perhaps a little, but shone bright as new, almost as if it shone brighter, its glare could look up to the afterlife, catch the eyes of Tony. His hands rested on the screen, or, the image at least, and as the wreath drifted away, Tony hoped that they could let him go.

And as he watched the people there turn away in tears, Tony, too, turned around moving to walk out of the door. Because he couldn’t, he wouldn’t ever regret sacrificing himself, and watching his own funeral almost felt as if he was intruding on the healing process, walking in on something that he shouldn’t have. 

Nat was waiting for near the door, tilting her head slightly, almost as in question, but her eyes shone in understanding, and Tony supposed that Nat might’ve have done the same thing.

And so, hand in hand, the two of them walked together out until sunset. Perhaps it wasn’t heaven, wasn’t exactly paradise even, but it was _peace._

And for two heroes who had been brought into the world already fighting and kicking, it was a nice chance of peace, a _needed_ change of pace. It was what Tony and Natasha had been fighting for their whole lives, and sense to be able to rest. 

_You can rest now._

_Let me go, it’s okay._

_We’ll be okay._

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading!
> 
> fine me on twitter @sdiesinks


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